Bernadette Ganilau

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bernadette Lavenia Rounds Ganilau, born as Bernadette Lavenia Rounds, is a Fijian writer, broadcaster, and politician, who currently serves as Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives. In a previous political role, she served in 2000 and 2001 in the Interim Government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase as Assistant Minister for Social Welfare.

Long a political activist, Ganilau's causes included women's rights and human rights in general, and has served as President of Women Entrepreneurs Fiji.. She spent much of mid-to-late 2005 campaigning against the government's controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which proposes to establish a Commission with the power to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the Fiji coup of 2000. On 13 July 2005, she described the bill as one that would encourage hatred and violence rather than tolerance and accommodation.

Ganilau is married to, and has an adopted daughter with, Ratu Rabici Ganilau, a son of Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, Fiji's first President (1987-1993). Her brother-in-law, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, is a well-known contemporary politician.

Ganilau contested and won the Suva City General Communal Constituency for the United Peoples Party (UPP) in the general election scheduled for 6-13 May, defeating Cabinet Minister Kenneth Zinck. She was one of two UPP candidates returned in the election.